Chapter 503

After Wen Boyuan left, Princess Anping and Zi Juan took the snowball and left the tent, but saw Hu Xiaotian busy beside the campfire, a fat lamb roasting over the fire, and the accompanying chefs, under Hu Xiaotian's direction, attentively grilling.

Long Xi Yue saw Hu Xiaotian directing with composure, couldn't help but laugh; Hu Xiaotian turned around, saw Long Xi Yue and her companions, also laughed: "Princess, why aren't you hiding from the wind and snow in the tent, what are you doing out here?"

Snowball started woofing.

Long Xi Yue gently stroked the soft, fluffy fur on Snowball's back and said softly: "It's all because you roasted the lamb too fragrant, luring Snowball to keep barking; if we didn't come out, it would surely cause a commotion." Actually it's because she wanted to see Hu Xiaotian.

Hu Xiaotian picked up a bone, waved it in front of Snowball's eyes, then threw it far away; Snowball broke free from Long Xi Yue's embrace and chased after the bone.

Long Xi Yue let out a startled cry.

Hu Xiaotian laughed and said: "It's fine; for Snowball, the allure of a meat bone is always greater than that of a beauty."

Long Xi Yue glanced at him with a hint of annoyance. Hu Xiaotian, not knowing where he got it, moved a small stool to the bonfire side and said: "Princess, please sit; once the lamb is roasted we can eat."

Zijuan asked curiously: "Lord Hu, where did you get such a big fat sheep?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "I had Wang Wenyou prepare it; hearing that the road ahead was desolate with few settlements, I had him bring ten live sheep in the wagon, slaughtering one whenever we needed meat." This method was still learned by Hu Xiaotian from the Sha Jia people while escorting Prince Long Yefang to Xiezhou.

Long Xi Yue said: "How come I didn't see it?"

Hu Xiaotian laughed and said: "I deliberately had people keep it away from you; a gentleman stays far from the kitchen, lest the princess see it and be unwilling to eat."

Long Xi Yue said: "Actually, I rarely eat meat in the palace."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Now it's different; the weather is cold, without eating some meat there isn't enough internal heat, nor strength to travel."

Long Xi Yue nodded. Her beautiful eyes met Hu Xiaotian's for a moment then quickly fled; actually the feeling in her gaze already told Hu Xiaotian the answer: you let me eat, I will eat. Hu Xiaotian grew more fond of this beautiful, gentle princess the more he looked; if there were no one around, he would surely embrace Long Xi Yue and cherish her dearly.

After the troupe of over seven hundred set up camp, its scale was not small; Long Xi Yue's tent belonged to the protected center. The rest of the people encircled the princess's camp on all sides; such deployment should be flawless.

Zhou Mo and the others remained silent, merely guarding the wagons and horses, their eyes quietly observing the princess's surroundings.

Seeing the whole lamb about to be done roasting, Hu Xiaotian stood and said: "I'll go call Sir Wu to eat together." Although Wu Rendong had previously been on bad terms with him, Hu Xiaotian thought it was still necessary to win him over during the journey; his relationship with Wen Bohuan was now like fire and water. Many matters required Wu Rendong, the mediator, to smooth things over; moreover, Ji Feihua had asked him to find an opportunity to take out Wen Bohuan, and to do so without anyone knowing would also need a suitable scapegoat.

Although Wu Rendong was the Chief Marriage Envoy for this mission, his position in the entourage was rather awkward. In terms of subordinates he could not compare to Wen Bohuan, and in terms of closeness to the princess he could not compare to Hu Xiaotian; he understood that the Emperor had sent him merely to ease the tension between Hu Xiaotian and Wen Bohuan, to avoid conflict during the journey.

Hu Xiaotian's invitation for him to come eat roasted lamb with the princess was, for Wu Rendong, like receiving an unexpected favor; although Hu Xiaotian had Wang Wenyou bring over ten or more live sheep, these were said to be prepared for the princess, so even as Chief Marriage Envoy he had no share; Hu Xiaotian handled logistics and finance, and these provisions were entirely his to decide. If he did not come over to ask, Wu Rendong, a third-rank official and Minister of Rites, would only get to chew on dry rations.

After the fat lamb was roasted, Hu Xiaotian had the butcher slice the meat and arrange it on plates, first giving it to Princess Anping; the princess laughed and said: "I won't keep you from eating meat and drinking wine." She had Zijuan carry the meat and they both returned to the tent. Actually, according to her intention, she wanted Hu Xiaotian to share this meat with everyone, but Hu Xiaotian thought it unnecessary—dividing one roasted lamb among seven hundred people would likely not even give each a mouthful. His duty was to look after Princess Anping; others truly were not within his consideration, not out of selfishness but because he simply lacked the energy and mood.

Hu Xiaotian had the butcher cut a leg of lamb to send to Zhou Mo, and also gave some to the warriors guarding the princess's tent.

Wu Rendong sat by the bonfire, picked up a leg of lamb, took a bite, and praised it without end: "It's truly delicious; I have only tasted such delicious roasted lamb when I was on an envoy mission to Black Hu."

Hu Xiaotian laughed and said: "Sir Wu, what did you do on your envoy mission to Black Hu?"

Before Wu Rendong could answer, Hu Xiaotian said: "I know even if you don't say it; surely you went to persuade Black Hu to join our Dakang in a pincer attack, to strike Da Yong together, right?"

Wu Rendong started in alarm: "Lord Hu, you can't talk nonsense; we are currently friendly with Da Yong, and soon we will be related by marriage."

Hu Xiaotian laughed and said: "Don't be afraid; only the two of us are here, and this will certainly not reach the ears of the Da Yong Emperor. Actually, relations between states are just like children playing house—today they fight, tomorrow they make up, and in a couple of days they'll fight again, wouldn't you say?"

Wu Rendong secretly sighed: although this youngster has no proper conduct, he sees things very clearly.

At this moment, a young eunuch in the entourage came over and placed a jar of wine before Hu Xiaotian. Hu Xiaotian opened the jar, poured a bowl and handed it to the eunuch, asking him to take it to the tent for the princess to warm herself, then he took two large bowls, gave one to Wu Rendong, and poured himself a bowl.

Wu Rendong raised his wine bowl, as if suddenly remembering something: "Ah, how did we forget General Wen?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "What rank does he hold? On what basis should we summon him?"

Wu Rendong got a face full of dust, and couldn't help feeling a bit embarrassed.

Hu Xiaotian raised his wine bowl, clinked it against Wu Rendong's, took a big gulp, and said: "Sir Wu, you've been navigating the officialdom for so many years; can't you see that I and he are utterly incompatible?"

Wu Rendong laughed and said: "We all travel together through wind and snow; some friction is inevitable, but still don't take it to heart."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Sir Wu, speak fairly—did I win yesterday's contest?"

"Uh..." Having eaten someone else's food, Wu Rendong only now realized this whole lamb wasn't free; once swallowed, you can't spit it out. Anyway, Wen Bohuan isn't here either; in fact, Hu Xiaotian did win, Wu Rendong nodded and then smiled: "Actually, why bother distinguishing winner from loser? We're all our own people; harmony is most important."

Hu Xiaotian said: "I am advocating harmony, but they don't appreciate it. Just today I suggested we camp outside the Black Pine Forest and wait until morning to pass through, yet he stubbornly insisted on going his own way, determined to enter that Black Pine Forest."

Wu Rendong laughed and said: "Actually, General Wen also means well; he doesn't want to delay the princess's schedule."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Today is the seventeenth of the first month; the princess's wedding day is the sixteenth of the third month. Sir Wu, even if we delay a month, we won't be late for the princess's wedding."

Wu Rendong knew Hu Xiaotian spoke the truth, but before entering the Black Pine Forest, Wen Bohuan had also consulted him, and he had agreed to continue forward, so he couldn't really blame Wen Bohuan. Wu Rendong said: "Actually, where to spend the night makes no difference; in the forest one can also block the cold wind."

Hu Xiaotian shook his head and said: "That's not the same; Sir Wu, don't you know the principle of 'upon encountering a forest, do not enter'?"

Wu Rendong said: "General Wen is both civil and military adept, with five hundred warriors under him guarding; there's no need to worry about safety." He seemed quite confident in Wen Bohuan's entourage.

Hu Xiaotian took out from his person that green forest forces distribution map and handed it to Wu Rendong; after looking it over, Wu Rendong remained silent.

Hu Xiaotian said: "This map was given to me by a friend before my departure; it marks the places along the route where bandits and robbers most often appear, and the Black Pine Forest is one of them. General Wen clearly knows this yet still insists on his own view—I wonder what he's scheming."

Wu Rendong laughed and said: "Lord Hu might be overthinking it."

Hu Xiaotian took back his own map, put it away properly, raised his wine bowl and took a sip, then said: "It's not that I'm overthinking; I'm worried that someone harbors ulterior motives. Sir Wu, don't think it's a trivial matter—if something happens to the princess, none of us can escape responsibility. Let me say something you don't want to hear: if that really happens, you'll be the first to bear the blame."

A muscle at the corner of Wu Rendong's mouth twitched.

Hu Xiaotian added: "When the city gate catches fire, the fish in the moat suffer; Sir Wu, you need to sharpen your eyes and make sure you're not being used."

Although Wu Rendong gave no response, his heart was already pounding with apprehension; Hu Xiaotian was clearly reminding himself that Wen Bohuan might have other plans, and Wu Rendong was clear about the struggle between the two major factions of Wen Chenghuan and Ji Feihua. Although the journey had only just begun for a few days, Hu Xiaotian and Wen Bohuan had already shown themselves to be opposed, incompatible like fire and water. Although Wu Rendong secretly sided with Wen Bohuan, on the surface he still appeared very moderate, striving to offend neither side. Wu Rendong privately had his own plans: to complete this journey smoothly and safely, deliver Princess Anping to Yongdu unharmed, which would also count as fulfilling his final mission; at his age he had already reached the time to enjoy his retirement, so this would be a fitting conclusion to his many years of officialdom. But only after the journey truly began did Wu Rendong realize that this task was far more arduous than he had anticipated.

Wu Rendong had weathered countless storms in his years in officialdom; of course he knew Hu Xiaotian was deliberately trying to stir up trouble between him and Wen Bohuan, so no matter what Hu Xiaotian said, he remained noncommittal, just eating meat and drinking wine—filling his stomach was the real business; old man, I don't care what you say? (To be continued~^~)